Magnus Chase book 4: What’s next for the gods after ‘Ship of the Dead’?

Will the Gods of Asgard return in Magnus Chase Book 4? The short answer is no, it’s over… for now.

October 3, 2017 brought us the third and final installment in the Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard trilogy by Rick Riordan. For those of you, like me, who have delighted in seeing Magnus’ journey throughout this three-part series, that news is like a punch to the gut. Will there ever be a Magnus Chase Book 4? Will we ever see our favorite einherjar again?

There’s always hope.

If you haven’t finished Ship of the Dead yet, steer clear because there are spoilers ahead.

At the end of the third book, Magnus’ story was certainly resolved, though the final pages left us with the promise of more adventure. We were left on a high note. Everyone was safe, Ragnarok had been postponed, Magnus and Alex were together, and the Chase Space meant there was a judgement-free home for homeless teens in Boston.

That’s a happy ending if ever I’ve heard one.

But on the final page of the book, Magnus has this to say:

I thought about what might come next. Our jobs as einherjar were never over. Until Ragnarok, we would always have more quests to undertake, more battles to fight.

That certainly leaves the door open for us to see more adventures from Magnus and his friends in a fourth book.

There is precedent, too, of course. Percy Jackson was heavily featured in two series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians and The Heroes of Olympus, as well as having minor roles in the Trials of Apollo series and Magnus’ series, plus a set of crossover short stories with Sadie and Carter Kane from the Kane Chronicles.

While we probably won’t be getting a Magnus Chase Book 4, specifically, considering Magnus is Annabeth Chase’s cousin, it’s likely he’ll at least be mentioned again, if not show up in some capacity in a future book.

Plus there’s always the hope that Rick Riordan will write that crossover book series we’ve all wanted from the beginning. If that’s the case, it’s extremely likely Magnus will play a major role.

While it’s clear Magnus’ story has the potential to continue, it’s really up to the author if he wants to write more books from Magnus’ point of view.

While on tour for The Ship of the Dead, Rick has made no promises to revisit Norse mythology with a fourth Magnus Chase book, but has said he might consider it one day. This is a common answer from the author, who has a never say never policy when it comes to his world of mythology.

But it does beg the question, what would we, as fans, like to see from Magnus next? I can only speak for myself here, but I have to say I can’t wait to see how Magnus and Alex’s relationship develops. It was a slow burn to begin with, and once we finally got a resolution, it seemed like the book was over. I’d love to see what a comfortable relationship looks like between those two.

And beyond Magnus and Alex? I’d love to check in with Samirah, to see how she’s balancing everything going on in her life. She’s quite busy, and takes on a lot, but we all know how capable she is of handling all of that.

But aside from all the characters we know and love, I’d also like to come across some new gods and some new creatures. Norse mythology isn’t quite as well-known as Greek and Roman mythology, so anything new we can learn through the lens of Magnus Chase feels like an opportunity worth taking! Especially when we can see what differences there are in interpretation between this series and the Thor movies.

If you’re bummed about the last Magnus Chase book, remember that the Trials of Apollo series is still ongoing, with the third book, titled The Burning Maze, releasing in May 2018. The Apollo series will be a five-book saga.

In addition, you can always check out Rick Riordan Presents, an imprint that boosts other voices writing mythological tales. The first book released is Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi, which hit shelves in Spring 2018.

And don’t forget — you can always re-read Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard to relive the story all over again!